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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Can school insist you have school dinners?

22 replies

1dilemma · 09/05/2007 22:56

That's it really. Can the school force us to have school dinners? Their policy is everyone has to without good founded/medical reasons. We would have to pay. Thanks

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cornsilk · 09/05/2007 22:58

I've never heard of that !

Original poster

1dilemma · 09/05/2007 22:59

Yeah seemed a bit odd to me too but that's what the head said.

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hairymclary · 09/05/2007 22:59

how ridiculous! i cannot see how they can force you to. especially if they want you to pay as well

fireflyfairy2 · 09/05/2007 22:59

Our school doesn't insist at all. In fact dd has lunch 4 out of the 5 day week

I don't think they can enforce this at all.

Ladymuck · 09/05/2007 23:01

We're a no packed lunch school, though private.

Hulababy · 09/05/2007 23:01

I would think that state schools are not allowed to insist on this. I am sure that they must also offer the option to go home. Although may not have to offer the packed lunch option.

DD's private prep school however does have this policy. Staying at school for a school lunch is complusary. The meal price is included in our fees.

Original poster

1dilemma · 09/05/2007 23:01

Thanks will be sticking to my guns about this I think.

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1dilemma · 09/05/2007 23:05

This reply has been deleted

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Aero · 09/05/2007 23:06

I have come across this before in the private school the children I looked after in my nannying days went to. Ridiculous IMO and the parents were of the same mind, but it was school policy, so no choice. They were fussy eaters and would often come home having eaten next to nothing!

Hulababy · 09/05/2007 23:11

From what I know state schools normally offer one of these situations:

school dinner, packed lunch or go home
school dinner or go home
packed lunch or go home

Not all state schools have the room or resources to cope with both packed lunch AND school dinners. But I imagine all have to offer the option of going home.

misty · 09/05/2007 23:12

My DS's primary school tried to do this, this year much to the uproar of some of the parents. The reasoning behind it was that we had a new head teacher and she was very aware that quite often this is the only hot meal some children get.

She wanted to encourage good eating habits - some children in Yr6 still don't know how to use a knife and fork properly - so by making all reception children start off by having school dinners the thought was they'd all develop these skills together.

It didn't take off though due to the protests of some parents, but I could see her reasoning behind it.

Hulababy · 09/05/2007 23:13

Aero - it is a really popular decision at DD's school, and well publiscised in the school preospectus, so everyone knows up front. DD is a good eater anyway but eats even better as a result of the compulsary dinners, sat in "family" groups, each with a member of staff at the table, chatting and eating together. And it didn't take her long to realise that if she didn't eat she went hungry. She isn't keen on curry but eats it at school as she knows she has no choice. I know we are lucy in that she will do this, but for us the policy had been a big benefit.

I personally couldn't be doing with the hassleo f sorting packed lunches out every day.

fireflyfairy2 · 09/05/2007 23:15

I grew up in a small village & we had the 3 options. School dinner, Lunch, or go home.

Out of a class of 12 children, 4 went home, 6 had free school dinners & 2 had lunch. I remember it clearly as the 4 who went home all were collected in a car by a parent, the 2 who had lunch were twins & the remaining 6 all shared a table

Original poster

1dilemma · 09/05/2007 23:15

Ah misty so what happened? Did it start and then stop or did it never start? My only concern is that I wouldn't want to cause discomfort to my child by making them stand out if they are one of the few not having school dinners.

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Original poster

1dilemma · 09/05/2007 23:17

fff2 what a lovely story thanks for that

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jennifersofia · 10/05/2007 06:33

My daughter goes to (state) nursery and there is no option there - all children must have school dinner there, mainly for the sort of reasons that Hulababy has listed. I think it has encouraged better manners. My friend, however, withdrew her son because the school was inflexible on this policy.

earlgrey · 10/05/2007 06:44

Best friend's daughter - in an independant school - had to have them from the age of 7. Dds (in state school) have the option. When the register's taken in the morning the teacher asks 'Packed or Hot' to all children in all classes. I think it must be an administrative nightmare.

McDreamy · 10/05/2007 06:55

I would object to this too 1dilemma. While I appreciate some of the possible reasons for bringing a policy like this in I do not think it is up to the school to enforce such an in flexible approach. What if, as a parent you don't like their choice of food etc. It would be enough to make me consider another school.

Having said that when my children start school I think I would like them to have school dinners!

KTeePee · 10/05/2007 07:02

It's school dinners or packed lunches in our school and there has never been any real pressure to go for school dinners. My dd has tried both and is having packed lunches at the moment (ds has only ever had packed lunches - v. fussy eater). All the children eat in the dining room together, class by class, regardless of what they are having. In the summer, those having packed lunches can eat outside on the field.

However, at another nearby school, the policy until recently was that those having packed lunches had to wait until the school dinners were finished - so were starving (and made to feel different). I think there is a new head now who has changed.

Unless you think your dc would not eat what was offered, maybe give school dinners a try and see how it works out? We are supposed to give a half-terms notice to change from one to another but the heads have always been good about letting children change before that if they are not eating anything at lunchtime...

gingertoo · 10/05/2007 10:49

We have had a similar thing in DC's primary school. We are 'encouraged' to have school dinners as they would prefer all children to do so. They have had 'taster days', theme days etc and have even sent out a questionnaire to the parents of 'sandwich eaters' to ask us why we choose this option.

To be honest, I have no problem with DCs having a school dinner - they look lovely - the real issue with me is cost. At £1.75 per day, per child it works out to be quite expensive - I can make alot of yummy /healthy packed lunches for £1.75 each!!! We are also lucky that DH is home by 5.45 each evening so we are able to sit down together and have a family dinner every evening.

At the end of the day, it's a matter of choice - what suits one family might not suit another - I think you should dig in you heels though!!!! If they take away the choice that's really not on!!!

islandofsodor · 10/05/2007 22:46

At dd's private school everyone has school lunches but this includes a sandwhiches/salad option (all included in the fees)

I very much doubt a state school can force you to pay for a school lunch. I'm sure though that they can prevent going home at lunchtime. My old school certainly did but then this was quite a long time ago!!!!

CarGirl · 10/05/2007 22:58

Cost would be a big issue for me 4 x £1.70 per day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's about £1,000 per year.........................and the portions are tiny too!

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